Remote Actuator & Dynamometer Test Engineer

Triwill Group; San Francisco, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenAI in San Francisco is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and own the mechanical side of our dynamometer and actuator test infrastructure. You will create test stands, fixtures, load paths, guarding, and serviceable lab hardware enabling rigorous actuator characterization.

This role blends precise mechanical design with hands-on lab work, taking concepts from requirements through CAD, fabrication, assembly, and iteration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or related field.
• Experience designing mechanical systems for robotic actuator dynamometers, robotics, automation, rotating machinery, or similar hardware.
• Strong understanding of structures, load paths, shafts, bearings, couplings, fasteners, tolerances, alignment, and vibration.
• Experience designing fixtures, test stands, frames, guarding, and precision mechanical interfaces.
• Proficiency with CAD and drawing release workflows; NX, SolidWorks, Creo or equivalent.
• Experience with structural, thermal, fatigue, or modal analysis and applying results to practical hardware decisions.
• Hands-on experience with assembly, machining, metrology, alignment, and troubleshooting in a lab or prototype environment.
• Familiarity with mechanical safety for rotating equipment, containment, interlocks, and safe operating envelopes.

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical architecture of dynamometer and actuator test cells, including frames, bases, load paths, alignment, guarding, and serviceability.
• Design dynamometer structures, robotic actuator fixtures, load-motor mounts, couplings, shafts, bearings, adapters, and torque-reaction hardware.
• Translate robotic actuator test requirements into robust mechanical systems for torque, speed, thermal, durability, backdrive, efficiency, and failure testing.
• Perform first-principles analysis and simulation for stiffness, strength, fatigue, vibration, thermal growth, critical speed, and safety factors.
• Create precise, repeatable alignment strategies that protect test articles, load machines, sensors, and couplings.
• Design modular fixturing that supports rapid changeover across actuator and motor variants without compromising measurement quality.
• Work closely with electrical engineers on cable routing, enclosures, cooling, sensor packaging, and test-cell safety interfaces.
• Work closely with software and controls engineers to define mechanical limits, safe operating envelopes, and automated-test constraints.
• Build, assemble, debug, and improve test stands in the lab, using measurement and fabrication tools directly.
• Develop guarding, containment, pinch-point mitigation, hard stops, and other mechanical safety systems for high-energy rotating equipment.
• Manage fabrication partners and vendors for machined parts, weldments, bearings, couplings, sensors, and test-stand components.
• Establish drawings, tolerance stacks, assembly procedures, inspection plans, and preventive-maintenance practices.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Robotics

CAD

SolidWorks

NX

Creo

First-principles analysis

Thermal analysis

Fatigue analysis

Vibration analysis

Assembly

Machining

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Creo

Job description

OpenAI in San Francisco is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and own the mechanical side of our dynamometer and actuator test infrastructure. You will create test stands, fixtures, load paths, guarding, and serviceable lab hardware enabling rigorous actuator characterization.

This role blends precise mechanical design with hands-on lab work, taking concepts from requirements through CAD, fabrication, assembly, and iteration.